In 2016, a Marijuana-Related Arrest Occurred Every 48 Seconds in U.S.

It has been assessed that 653,249 marijuana-related arrests took place in 2016, according to the annual Crime in the United States (CIUS) Report, which is compiled annually by the FBI. That means, in 2016, a marijuana-related arrest happened almost every 48-seconds in the U.S.

“Arresting and citing over half a million people a year for a substance that is objectively safer than alcohol is a travesty. Despite a steady shift in public opinion away from marijuana prohibition, and the growing number of states that are regulating marijuana like alcohol, marijuana consumers continue to be treated like criminals throughout the country. This is a shameful waste of resources and can create lifelong consequences for the people arrested,” said Morgan Fox of Marijuana Policy Project.

Fox also said, “Regulating marijuana for adults creates jobs, generates tax revenue, protects consumers, and takes money away from criminals. It is time for the federal government and the rest of the states to stop ruining peoples’ lives and enact sensible marijuana policies.”